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feather-leaf kittentail

round-leaf kittentail, snow queen

Leaves

persistent, some withering in 2d year as new leaves expand;

blade oblong-ovate to ovate, 25+ mm wide, not leathery, base lobate, margins 1- or 2-pinnatifid, teeth apices obtuse to acute, surfaces glabrous or villous;

basal veins extending through proximal 1/2 of blade, lateral veins 2–4 on each side of midvein.

persistent, some withering in 2d year as new leaves expand;

blade cordate to reniform, 25+ mm wide, leathery, base cordate to lobate, margins incised-crenate, teeth apices obtuse to rounded, surfaces glabrous or hairy;

basal veins extending into distal 1/2 of blade, lateral veins 2–4 on each side of midvein.

Racemes

erect, to 30 cm in fruit;

sterile bracts 3+, ovate-spatulate, largest 1+ cm;

flowers 10–40, loosely aggregated.

decumbent, to 18 cm in fruit;

sterile bracts usually 0;

flowers 5–10, loosely aggregated.

Stamens

epipetalous.

epipetalous.

Ovaries

ovules 10–16.

ovules 4.

Capsules

glabrous.

sparsely hairy.

Sepals

4.

4.

Petals

(3 or)4(or 5), apex entire or erose;

corolla blue, ± regular, campanulate, much longer than calyx, glabrous, tube conspicuous.

(3 or)4(or 5), apex entire or erose;

corolla blue, ± regular, campanulate, much longer than calyx, puberulent-villous in throat, tube conspicuous.

Synthyris pinnatifida

Synthyris reniformis

Phenology Flowering Apr–Aug; fruiting May–Oct. Flowering Mar–Jun; fruiting Apr–Aug.
Habitat Forest openings, subalpine meadows, alpine tundra. Forests.
Elevation 2100–3800 m. (6900–12500 ft.) 0–1500 m. (0–4900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR; WA
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[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Flowering in plants of Synthyris pinnatifida begins at the margins of melting snow banks.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 302. FNA vol. 17, p. 303.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Synthyris Plantaginaceae > Synthyris
Sibling taxa
S. alpina, S. borealis, S. bullii, S. canbyi, S. cordata, S. dissecta, S. laciniata, S. lanuginosa, S. missurica, S. oblongifolia, S. plantaginea, S. platycarpa, S. ranunculina, S. reniformis, S. ritteriana, S. rubra, S. schizantha, S. wyomingensis
S. alpina, S. borealis, S. bullii, S. canbyi, S. cordata, S. dissecta, S. laciniata, S. lanuginosa, S. missurica, S. oblongifolia, S. pinnatifida, S. plantaginea, S. platycarpa, S. ranunculina, S. ritteriana, S. rubra, S. schizantha, S. wyomingensis
Synonyms Veronica paysonii Wulfenia reniformis, Veronica regina-nivalis
Name authority S. Watson: Botany (Fortieth Parallel), 227, plate 22, figs. 1, 2 [ — as pinnata]. 1871 (Douglas ex Bentham) Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 10: 454. (1846)
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